Air cleaner



March 1, 1932. H. P. VAUGHAN AIR CLEANER 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet Filed Jan. 12

March 1, 1932. H. P. VAUGHAN 1,847,452

AIR CLEANER Filed Jan. 12, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Qbtomvn;

March 2- H P. VAUGHAN 1,847,452

AIR CLEANER Filed Jan. 12, 1929 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 I giweutoz 3G Patented Mar. 1, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY P. VAUGHAN, OI DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR TO DETROIT LUBRICATOR COMPANY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN AIR CLEANER Application filed January 12, 1929. Serial No. 332,032.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in air cleaners, and more particularly to a cleaner for removing particles of foreign matter from a body of air to be utilized in the cylinders of an internal combustion engine.

An object of my invention is to provide a device which is of simple construction and which will operate efiiciently with a minimum loss or absorption of power.

Another object is to provide means which will catch and retain particles of foreign matter carried in suspension in a current of air.

Another object is to rovide a device which may be readily cleaned Another object is to provide a device for utilizing the oil vapor from the crank-case of an internal combustion engine to wet, and maintain wet, surfaces for the purpose of detaining particles of foreign matter carried in suspension in a current of air.

The invention consists in the improved construction and combination of parts, to be more fully described hereinafter, and the novelty of which will be particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, to be taken as a part of this specification, I have fully and clearly illustrated two embodiments of my invention, in which drawings Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of one form of my air cleaner, showing the same peratively positioned on an internal combustion engine;

Fig. 2 is a View in transverse vertical section on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a side view having part of the casing broken away and being partly in vertical longitudinal central section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end view looking from the right toward the left of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a view in vertical central section of another form of my air cleaner, showing the same operatively positioned on an internal combustion engine, and

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view in half section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5, to show the internal construction of the cleaner.

Referring to the drawings by characters of reference, A designates generally a portion of an internal combustion engine, A being the outside wall of the valve chamber which is open to the interior of the crank-case, and A being that portion of the engine which embodies the cylinder inlets. The engine A is equipped with a carburetor B of any suitable and desired construction for supplying a combustible mixture to the cylinder inlets and having the usual air inlet conduit B. The condult B is supplied with cleaned air from the air cleaner C, which is preferably constructed of metal, such as sheet-steel, having a thickness of about one thirty-second of an inch. Leading from the valve chamber through a port in the wall A is a pipe or conduit D which is connected at its free end to the cleaner C and opens thereinto for a purpose to be described.

The cleaner C, which I have shown in Figs. 1 to 4, comprises a hollow casing 1 which may be of any desired outline in transverse crosssection, but is preferably cylindrical and formed from a rectangular blank, the meeting edges being rigidly secured and sealed to- "ether, as by turning the edges back to form liooks, as at 2, Fig. 2, or by welding, or the like. The front or inlet end 3 of the casing is provided with a closure member 4 which is a circular plate or disk, the circumferential edge 5 of which is rigidly secured and sealed to the casing, as by crimping the same over on the edge of the casing, as at 6, Fig. 3. The member 4 has an annular series of substantially sector-shaped openings 7 which are preferably radial, and from a corresponding radial edge of each opening 7 a vane or blade 8 extends into the casing 1. vThese vanes 8 are all substantially equally inclined to the plane of the member 4 and provide a deflecting means to cause a slight whirl or rotation to an annular current of air passing through the openings 7. The vanes or blades 8 may be separate elements secured by welding, soldering, or the like, to the member 4, but they are preferably stamped and bent from the material of the member 4 to simultaneously provide the openings 7. The circular center portion 9 of the member 4 has a central aperture 10 with a surrounding flange or sleeve 11.

Extending from the aperture is a conduit member 12 which is supported by the sleeve 11 and rigidly secured thereto in any suitable manner. The member 12 has a sliding fit in the conduit D which abuts the flange 11 and tightly joins the front end of the cleaner C to the conduit D. The conduit D also serves as a support means for the front end of the cleaner. Telescoping the air inlet B is an outlet sleeve 13 having diametrically opposite, longitudinal slots 14 which engage positioning and locking pins 15. projecting inwardly from the wall of the conduit B. Surrounding the end of sleeve 13 which projects from conduit B and rigidly secured and sealed thereto, is a closure member 16 which is flared to a diameter equal to the diameter of the casing and is secured and sealed along its circumferential edge to the rear or outlet end 17 of the casing, preferably in the same manner as the member 4 is secured to the casing. The sleeve 13 provides a support means for the outlet end 17 of the casing 1. At a distance of substantially two-thirds of the length of the casing from the inlet end thereof, is a substantially vertical opening or slot 18 in the wall of the casing. The slot 18 extends for substantially one hundred eighty degrees around the circumference of the casing and is preferably located on the under side thereof. At the end edges of the slot 18 the casing 1 has outwardly projecting lugs 19, preferably in the form of horizontal ribs or beads stamped or otherwise.

formed from the material of the casing. Overlying the opening 18 to close and seal the same is a closure member 20, preferably a substantially semi-circular plate of greater width than the slot or opening 18, having at its opposite ends locking means 21 for engagement with lugs 19 to securely and tightly hold the member 20 to the casing 1. The member 20 is preferably resilient, and the means 21 are preferably in the form of horizontal grooves with the terminal ends of the member 20 turned outward, as at 22, to provide finger grips for releasing the locking means 21. Extending across the interior of the easing is a substantially vertical and circular plate member 23 which has for about ninety degrees-along its circumference a flange 24 extending at right angles thereto. The flange 24 rests on the member 20 and is fixed thereto, as by rivets 25, or the like. The remainder of the circumferential edge of the plate member may be turned over to form a strengthening head 26. Through the plate member 23 is an annular series of substantially sectorshaped openings 27 which are preferably radial, and from a corresponding radial edge of each opening 27 a vane or blade 28 extends toward the outlet end of the casing 1. The vanes 28 are all substantially equally inclined fromthe plane of the member 27 to provide a deflecting means, and are directed, oppositely to the blades or vanes 8 to cause a sharp or abrupt reverse whirl or rotation to the annular current of air as it passes through the openings 27. The vanes or blades 28 may be separate elements secured by welding, soldering, or the like, to the member 23, but they are preferably stamped and bent from the material of the member 23 to simultaneously provide the openings 27 The form of cleaner C which is illustrated blade 36 extends into the casing 30. The

vanes 36 are all substantially equally inclined to the plane of member 33, serving the same function as the vanes 8 and may be separate elements or formed from the plate member, as are the vanes 8. Through the center of the member 33 is an aperture 37 having a surrounding flange 38. Extending through the aperture 37 for substantially half the length of the casing, is a conduit member 39 which is rigidly supported by the flange 38. The member 39 projects from the casing and telescopes the air inlet conduit B with a tight fit. Through the wall of the casing 30 above or beyond the vanes 36 is an aperture 40 having a nipple or conduit member 41 rigidly fixed to the outside of the casing 30. The member 41 has a sliding fit within the pipe D and connects the crank-case and the interior of the cleaner. The open top end 42 of the casing 30 is closed and sealed by a cover member 43 having a surrounding depending fiange 44 which laterally abuts the cylindrical side wall of the casing. Secured to the inside face of the cover member 43 by welding, or the like, is a plate member 45 having an annular series of vanes or blades 46 which are all substantially equally inclined to the plane of the member 45 and in the same direction as the vanes 36, so that the edges of vanes are presented to the incoming current of air, and so that the vanes 46 and the end wall or cover member 43 provide pockets or receptacles to retain foreign matter carried into the casing in the current. The vanes 46 are preferably formed by making radial cuts in the member 45 and then bending corresponding radial edges 47 from the plane of the member 46. v

The operation of the cleaner shown in Figs. 1 to 4, inclusive, is as follows: When the engine is running, air will be drawn into the inlet end 3 of the cleaner 0 through the annusucked into the conduit D by virtue of the" series of openings 27 and contact the deflecting means or vanes 28. These vanes 28, as above described, are inclined oppositely to the vanes 8 and therefore the direction of rotation or whirling of the air current will be reversed, and the stream lines will follow a reverse helical path. The vanes 28 cause a sharp or abrupt change in the direction of air flow, and therefore any particles of foreign matter, such as dust, will continue in theoriginal direction of rotation and be thrown out of the air current. In order to catch and retain these particles, the vanes 28 are moistened or wetted, preferably with oil vapor, so that the particles will adhere to the moistened surface of the vanes. The wetting or moistening of the vanes is preferably accomplished as follows: The oil vapor, which consists chiefly of oil in a finely divided. state, and existing in the crank-case, due to the heat of the running engine, will rise into the valve chamber and a portion thereof will be sub-atmosphere in the air cleaner casing. The vapor will pass through the conduit member 12 into the air passage through the casing and into the air current between the vanes 8 and 28. The oil vapor will be carried by the air current through the openings 27 and will be deposited on the vanes 28 in the same manner in which the dust particles are thrown out of suspension. The oil vapor, which would normally pass from the crankcase as waste, is continuously supplied to the air current within the casing 1, and therefore serves to maintain wet the vanes 28. When the cleaner has been in use for a period of time, the vanes 28 will have become loaded with dirt and dust particles taken from the air current. To remove the plate member 23 for cleaning, it is only necessary to grasp the members 22 and spring the locking means 21 out of engagement with lugs 19, which will permit the plate member 23 and its vanes 28 to be withdrawn through slot 18 from the casing 1. When the vanes have been cleaned. the plate memair passage through the casing are at the same end thereof. The whirling or rotating annular current of air which has entered the casing 30 thrdugh openings 35, will be deflected or turned sharply through an angle of substantially one hundred eighty degrees by the cover member 43, which closes one end of the casing, and the air will pass back through the outlet 39 to the air inlet conduit B. The deflecting means or vanes 46 are maintained wet or moistened by oil vapor from the engine crank-case entering the air current within the casing through port 40. As the flow of the stream lines of the current of air is abruptly reversed by the end wall 43, any particles of foreign matter carried in the air current will be thrown or projected therefrom and be caught and retained on the oil wetted surfaces of the vanes and.

wall 43 and in the pockets formed thereby. The vanes 46 are also removable with cover member 43 for cleaning, as is apparent from the above description.

' It will thus be seen that I have provided an air cleaner which is particularly adapted, among other uses, for use in connection with the carburetor air inlet of an internal combustion engine, in that the centrifugal action of the cleaner is supplemented by oil wetted dust collecting surfaces which permit a very slight rotation or whirling of the air current with a consequent minimum absorption of power by the cleaner and a minimum obstruction of the carburetor air inlet.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. An air cleaner comprising a casing having a passage therethrough, deflecting means in said casing having unobstructed openings therethrough and being operable to cause whirling of a current of air passing through said casing, means removably supported within said casing and being operable to cause an abrupt change in the direction of flow of the whirling current of air, and means to supplya continuous deposit of moisture to said second means whereby foreign matter thrown out of the current of air by the abrupt change in the direction of flow will be caught and retained by the moistened second means.

2. An air cleaner comprising a casing having a passage therethrough, said casing having means in said passage to cause whirling of a current of air passed through said casing, said casing having means in said pasof flow of the stream lines of the current of air thereby to throw out of the current particles of foreign matter, said second-named means being wetted whereby the particles thrown out of said air current will be caught and retained by said wetted means, and sup porting means detachably secured to said casing and carrying said second-named means whereby said second-named means may be removed from said casing for cleaning.

3. An air cleaner comprising a casing having a passage therethrough, said casing having means in said passage to cause whirling of a current of air passed through said casing, said casing having means in said passage to cause a sharp reverse whirling of the current of air to throw out of the current particles of foreign matter.

4. An air cleaner comprising a casing having a passage therethrough, said casing having means in said passage to cause whirling of a current of air passed through said casing, said casing having means in said passage to cause a sharp reverse whirling of the current of air to throw out of the current particles of foreign matter, said second-named means being wetted whereby the particles thrown out of said air current will be caught and retained by said wetted means.

5. An air cleaner comprising a casing having a passage therethrough, deflecting means in said casing to cause whirling of a current of air passing through said casing, a second deflecting means Within said casing extending oppositely to said first means to cause an abrupt reverse whirling of the current of air, an inlet to said casing forward of said second-named deflecting means, and means to supply vapor to said inlet whereby the current of air will deposit the supplied vapor upon said second deflecting means to catch and retain foreign matter thrown out of the air current by the abrupt reverse whirling of the air current.

6. An air cleaner comprising a casing having a passage therethrough, radial deflecting vanes in said passage to cause whirling of a current of air passed through said casing, and radial oppositely extending deflecting vanes in said passage beyond said first vanes to cause an abrupt reverse whirling of the current of air whereby particles of foreign matter are thrown out of the air current by the abrupt reversal of whirling, said second-named vanes being wetted whereby the particles thrown out of the air current will be caught and retained by said wetted vanes.

7. An air cleaner comprising a hollow casing having an inlet and an outlet providing an air flow passage through said casing, radial deflecting vanes extending across said inlet to cause whirling of a current of air passing through said casing, said casing having an opening, a supporting member closing said opening, and deflecting vanes positioned in said passage and carried by said supporting member, said secondnamed vanes extending radially from the longitudinal center line of said casing and directed oppositely to said first-named vanes to cause an abrupt reverse whirling of the air current to throw particles of foreign matter out of said air current, said second-named vanes being wetted to catch and retain the particles thrown out of the air current.

8. An air cleaner comprising a substantially cylindrical casing having an open end, a closure member for the open end of said casing, said member having an annular series of openings, a deflecting vane extending from an edge of each opening to cause rotation of a substantially annular air stream passing through said openings, said casing having an opening through the side wall thereof, said opening extending substantially half Way around the circumference of said casing, a substantially semi-circular closure member operable to close said lastnamed opening, means to hold said semicircular member in closing position, a circular plate member carried by said semi-circular member and being in substantially circumferential contact with said casing, said plate member having an annular series of openings, a deflecting vane extending from an edge of each opening of said second series, said second series of vanes extending oppositely to said first series of vanes to cause an abrupt reverse rotation of the annular air stream, said casing having an outlet on the opposite side of said plate member from said closure member, said closure member having an aperture in its center to supply moisture to the air stream for deposit thereby on said second series of vanes whereby particles of foreign matter thrown out of the air stream by the abrupt-reverse of rotation thereof will be caught and retained on the wetted second series of vanes.

9. An air cleaner comprising a hollow casing having its opposite ends open, one of said open ends having means providing an inlet and an outlet for said casing, closure means for the other open end of said casing, and an inlet port to said casing to supply oil vapor from the crank-case of an internal combustion engine to the current of air flowing through said casing for deposit on said closure means whereby the wetted closure means will catch and retain particles of foreign matter carried by the current of air.

10. An air cleaner comprising a hollow casing having its opposite ends open, one of said ends having means providing an inlet and an outlet for said casing, removable closure means for the other open end of said casing, said closure means having pockets disposed in the path of a current of air flowing through the casing, and means to maintain said closure means oil wetted whereby foreign matter carried in the air current flowing through said casing will be caught and retained in the pockets of said closure means.

11. An air cleaner comprising a hollow casing having an open end, a closure member for the open end of said casing, said member havin an annular series of openings, a deflectmg'vane extending from an edge of each opening to cause rotation of a substantially annular air stream passing through saidopenings, said member having an aperture concentric with said series of openings, an outlet conduit supported in said aperture, the end of said casing opposite said closure member being open, a removable closure member for the opposlte open end of said casing, a late member carried by said second-name closure member, said plate member having vanes extending radially therefrom and into said casing to form pockets, said casing having an inlet between said first-named and said second-named vanes to supply moisture to the air stream for deposit thereby on said second-named vanes whereb particles of foreign matter thrown out o the air stream by the abru t change in direction of flow thereof will caught and retained on the wetted second series of vanes and in said pockets.

- In testimony whereof I have hereunto signed my name.

HENRY P. VAUGHAN. 

